Explosive containing hexogene or octogene and a nitrated n-methylaniline



United States Patent O 44 Int. Cl. C06b 9700, 15/02, 19/02 U.S. Cl. 149-18 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An explosive composition which does not exude at temperatures below 100 C. comprises at least one of hexogene (cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) or octogene (eyclotetramethylenetetranitramine) in intimate mixture with at least one of 2,4,6-trinitro-N-methylaniline or 2,4,6-trinitro-N,N'-dimethylaniline. The composition may also contain at least one additive of the group consisting of waxes, graphite and metallic powders.

It is well known that one method of filling munitions comprises pouring a fluid explosive mixture, which then solidifies and hardens. There are used at present, as such explosive mixtures, heterogeneous mixtures containing on the one hand tolite (trinitrotoluene, TNT) and on the other hand nitramines such as hexogene (cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) or octogene (cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine) and also, as required, one or more other materials such as wax, graphite and, metallic powders.

Tolites melts at 80 C. and munitions filled with such mixtures do not operate reliably if, for various reasons, such as heating of the munitions when transported by high-speed airplanes or engines, they are carried to temperatures above 80 C. In fact, tolite melts and can exude and also this weakens the mechanical properties of the mixture.

Attempts have been made to replace tolite by a higher melting explosive, the mixture maintaining its explosive properties while behaving better as regards stability to heat, preservation and ability to be manipulated. It is also desirable for any substances which are intended to replace tolite in these mixtures to be readily preparable. The use of melinite (trinitrophenol) has thus been suggested, but melinite is acid, the corresponding picrates can be dangerous and it is necessary to provide a varnish layer inside the munitions.

It has been found that, in order to replace tolite in these compositions, use can be made of one or both of the two products of the same family:

2, 4, G-trinitrornethylaniline, NO; --NH O H melting point: 113 C.

2, 4, fi-trinitrodimethylaniline, N02 N (C 11:4)2

melting point: 138C. Mixtures of either or both of these products with hexogene or octogene give explosive compositions which do not exude at 100 C. or even at 125 C. in the case of trinitrodimethylaniline. The speeds of detonation of these ice compositions are practically the same as those of the same compositions based on tolite. Their stability at C. is very good. Also, these nitrated derivatives are readily available.

The present invention thus relates to explosive compositions containing:

(a) On the one hand, a compound selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6-trinitro-N-methylaniline or 2,4,6- trinitro-N,N-dimethylaniline, according to the respective formulae given above. It is also possible to use a mixture of these two compounds, but this involves a decrease in the melting point which is not desirable;

(b) On the other hand, at least one member of the group consisting of hexogene and octogene.

The compositions can also contain other additives, such as waxes, graphite and metallic powders. The present invention also relates to the means for obtaining these compositions. Having regard to the high melting points of the nitrated derivatives, hot water coating at ordinary pressure cannot be used.

The following methods can be used which are known per se and are applied to other products that trinitromethylaniline or trinitrodimethylaniline:

(1) Introduction of dry hexogene or octogene into molten trinitromethylaniline or trinitrodimethylaniline;

(2) Introduction into molten trinitromethylaniline or trinitrodimethylaniline of a previously-prepared mixture of hexogene (or octogene) and the nitrated aniline preferred;

(3) Coating with hexogene or octogene in water under pressure.

(4) Dissolution of the nitrated aniline in a solvent, introduction of hexogene (or octogene) and elimination of the solvent by evaporation, distillation or steam distillation.

METHOD 1 The direct introduction of dry hexogene or octogene into the trinitromethylaniline or trinitrodimethylaniline is the most simple method for making the mixture, but it has the disadvantage of requiring the drying of pure hexogene or octogene, which are explosives offering considerable risks when handled whilst dry.

METHOD 2 It is of advantage therefore to prepare, for instance by one or other of methods 3 and 4, a composition containing, for example, 90 of hexogene or octogene covered with 10% of the nitrated aniline, in order to phlegmatise or otherwise protect the hexogene or octogene. This dry granular composition is then introduced into a bath of the molten nitrated aniline, as is the current practice in the case of hexogene/tolite mixtures.

METHOD 3 The third method mentioned consists in coating hexogene or octogene with the nitrated aniline in water under pressure, the temperature being sufliciently high for the nitrated aniline to be molten, the upper limit being given by the temperature of hydrolysis of hexogene (about C.) or of octogene (about C.).

It is advantageous to operate in a humid atmosphere without a solvent, but there is the disadvantage of requiring the use of an autoclave.

METHOD 4 The fourth method is utilisable with a solvent which is immiscible or slightly miscible with water and involves dissolving the trinitromethylaniline or trinitrodimethylaniline. This solvent will be subsequently entrained with steam and it will remain in suspension in the water from the composition desired. The advantages of this method of operation are its simplicity and the use of slightly elevated temperatures, but in certain cases it can involve the risk of modifying the granulometric state of the hexogene or octogene used. Solvents which can be used include, for instance, aromatic hydrocarbons, nitroparaffins, esters, ketones and other oxides.

Examples (1) g. of 2,4,6-trinitro-N-methylaniline were dissolved in a flask maintained at 120 C. by means of an oil bath. g. of hexogene recrystallised from cyclohexanone were added in stages with stirring. The mixture was then poured into a small flat dish. A yellow plate of the mixture desired was thus obtained. This pouring can also be made into a glass tube which has previously been evacuated. After cooling a cartridge is obtained having a speed of detonation (7750 m./s.) which is substantially the same as that of a cartridge of 60% hexogene, 40% tolite. The stability under vacuum at 130 C. of this mixture is better than that of a 60/40 hexogene/tolite mixture under the same conditions.

(2) 300 ccs. water, 90 g. of stabilised hexogene, 10 g. of 2,4,6-trinitro-N-methylaniline and cos. of ethyl acetate were introduced into a l-litre flask with a sealed cover, provided with a stirrer and a reflux condenser, the ethyl acetate serving to dissolve the trinitromethylaniline. The contents of the flask were agitated while raising the temperature and, at about 70 C., distillation of the ethyl acetate/water aseotrope began. This distillation was continued up to 100 C. to eliminate all the ethyl acetate. The reaction mixture was then cooled and filtered.

After drying, 100 g. of hexogene covered with trinitromethylaniline were obtained in the form of fine yellow granules.

(3) Operation proceeded in the same manner as described in Example 2, but the hexogene was replaced by g. of octogene recrystallised from cyclohexanone and the trinitromethylaniline was replaced by 10 g. of 2,4,6- trinitro-N,N'-dimethylaniline. In the same manner, g. of the corresponding mixture was thus obtained.

(4) 6 litres of water, 600 g. of moist hexogene (calculated in the dry state) and 400 g. of 2,4,6-trinitro-N- methylaniline were introduced into a 10-litre autoclave provided with a stirrer. The autoclave contents were heated for two hours at C. with stirring, the pressure was then released and the contents were cooled and filtered. After drying, 1 kilo of a 60/ 40 mixture of hexogene and trinitromethylaniline is thus obtained.

We claim:

1. An explosive composition which does not exude below 100 C., which consists essentially of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of hexogene and octogene plus at least one substance selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6-trinitro-N-methylaniline and 2,4,6-trinitro-N,N-dimethylaniline in intimate mixture therewith.

2. An explosive composition as set forth in claim 1, which also contain at least one additive selected from the group consisting of waxes, graphite and metallic powders.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,000,720 9/1961 Baer et a1 14992 X 3,138,496 6/ 1964 Monical 149-92 X 3,297,503 1/1967 Hofimann et al. 14939 LELAND A. SEBASTIAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 149-92 

